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Islamists, Jailed Tycoon Claim Tunisian Parliament Victory

Associated Press

   TUNIS, TUNISIA - Tunisia's moderate Islamist party appeared to be
   heading for victory in parliamentary elections, according to polling
   agencies, though the rival party of a jailed populist tycoon also
   claimed to come out on top of Sunday's voting.

   The election is seen as important for the country's economic and social
   stability -- and as a bellwether for the upcoming presidential runoff
   between detained magnate Nabil Karoui and an independent law professor
   supported by the Islamists.

   Two polling agencies, Emhrod Consulting and Sigma Conseil, estimated
   that Islamist party Ennahdha would win the most votes, and about 40 out
   of the 217 seats in the Assembly of People's Representatives. The polls
   projected that Karoui's Qalb Tounes party would come in second with 33
   to 35 seats.

   Each party held a news conference and said that they had won, according
   to their own estimations. Official results weren't expected before
   Monday.

   Economic concerns are paramount to voters in this North African nation
   on the Mediterranean Sea, which kicked off the Arab Spring uprisings in
   2011 and built a new democratic system from scratch, but is struggling
   with high unemployment and attacks by extremists.

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